A2 noun #1,000 am häufigsten 2 Min. Lesezeit

~고 나서

This phrase means 'after doing' something, showing that one action finishes before another begins.

Practice it

Explanation at your level:

You use this to talk about your day. If you eat breakfast and then go to school, you say 'Breakfast 먹고 나서 school go.' It is a very easy way to show order.

As you learn more verbs, use this to describe your routine. 'I exercise and then I shower' becomes 'Exercise 하고 나서 shower.' It helps you build longer, more interesting sentences.

At this level, use it to explain complex tasks. 'After I finish this report, I will email you.' It helps clarify the timeline of your professional or personal commitments.

Use this to add nuance. It shows that the first action is a necessary condition for the second. It sounds natural and precise in both casual conversation and written reports.

In advanced usage, you can combine this with other grammar points to create sophisticated narratives. It allows for a clear distinction between background actions and main events in a story.

Mastery of this structure allows for elegant flow in literary writing. It is used to pace a narrative, ensuring the reader understands exactly when each action occurs in the timeline.

Wort in 30 Sekunden

  • Means 'after doing'.
  • Used with action verbs.
  • Emphasizes completion.
  • Very common in daily life.

Hey there! ~고 나서 is a super handy way to tell a story in Korean. It literally translates to 'after doing' something. When you use this, you are telling the listener, 'I finished this first, and then I did that.'

It is slightly more specific than the simple '~고' (and). While '~고' just connects two actions, ~고 나서 adds that extra bit of emphasis that the first action is completely finished. It is perfect for when the sequence of events really matters!

The structure comes from the verb 나다 (to arise, to come out/finish). In this context, it functions as an auxiliary verb indicating the 'emergence' or 'completion' of an action. Over time, it merged with the connective -고 to create a standard way to express temporal order.

Historically, this reflects the Korean focus on precision in sequences. It evolved from older forms where speakers needed to distinguish between simultaneous actions and strictly sequential ones. It is a beautiful example of how Korean grammar captures the flow of time within a single sentence structure.

You use ~고 나서 after a verb stem. It is very common in both spoken and written Korean. Whether you are talking about your morning routine or a complex work project, this phrase fits right in.

It is considered neutral in register, meaning you can use it with friends, colleagues, or in semi-formal presentations. Just remember, it is not for nouns—only attach it to action verbs! Common pairings include verbs like 먹다 (eat), 끝내다 (finish), or 도착하다 (arrive).

While not an idiom itself, it appears in many set phrases. 1. 먹고 나서 바로 눕지 마세요 (Don't lie down right after eating). 2. 숙제하고 나서 놀아요 (Play after finishing homework). 3. 샤워하고 나서 개운해요 (I feel refreshed after showering). 4. 생각하고 나서 말하세요 (Think before you speak - often used as advice). 5. 준비하고 나서 출발할게요 (I will leave after I get ready).

To use this, simply take the verb stem and add -고 나서. It is that simple! For example, 보다 (see) becomes 보고 나서 (after seeing). The pronunciation is smooth, usually flowing as one unit: 'go-na-seo'.

There is no plural form because it is a particle, not a noun. It is highly regular, meaning it does not change based on the verb ending. It is a great 'stress-free' grammar point for learners because it works the same way every single time!

Fun Fact

It combines the simple connective -고 with the verb 나다 (to emerge/finish).

Pronunciation Guide

UK /ɡo na.sʌ/

Sounds like 'go' + 'na' + 'suh'

US /ɡo na.sʌ/

Sounds like 'go' + 'na' + 'suh'

Common Errors

  • Pronouncing 'go' too long
  • Dropping the 's' sound
  • Adding a space where none exists

Rhymes With

어서 가서 와서 해서 주어서

Difficulty Rating

Lesen 1/5

Easy

Writing 1/5

Easy

Speaking 2/5

Medium

Hören 2/5

Medium

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

-고 먹다 하다

Learn Next

-은 후에 -기 전에

Fortgeschritten

-자마자

Grammar to Know

Connectives

먹고

Tense

먹었다

Auxiliary Verbs

나다

Examples by Level

1

밥을 먹고 나서 학교에 가요.

Rice-object eat-after school-to go.

Simple sequence.

2

숙제를 하고 나서 놀아요.

Homework-object do-after play.

Standard usage.

3

영화를 보고 나서 잤어요.

Movie-object see-after slept.

Past tense.

4

씻고 나서 옷을 입어요.

Wash-after clothes-object wear.

Routine.

5

운동하고 나서 물을 마셔요.

Exercise-after water-object drink.

Daily habit.

6

요리하고 나서 먹어요.

Cook-after eat.

Logical sequence.

7

청소하고 나서 쉬어요.

Clean-after rest.

Reward sequence.

8

공부하고 나서 게임해요.

Study-after game-do.

Common pattern.

1

8 examples

1

8 examples

1

8 examples

1

8 examples

1

8 examples

Häufige Kollokationen

먹고 나서
하고 나서
보고 나서
읽고 나서
듣고 나서
만나고 나서
사고 나서
쓰고 나서
씻고 나서
결정하고 나서

Idioms & Expressions

"말하고 나서 후회하다"

Regret after speaking

말하고 나서 후회하지 마세요.

casual

"먹고 나서 눕다"

Lie down after eating

먹고 나서 바로 눕지 마세요.

neutral

"보고 나서 판단하다"

Judge after seeing

보고 나서 판단하세요.

formal

"하고 나서 생각하다"

Think after doing

일단 하고 나서 생각해요.

casual

"읽고 나서 이해하다"

Understand after reading

읽고 나서 이해가 됐어요.

neutral

"듣고 나서 깜짝 놀라다"

Surprised after hearing

그 소식 듣고 나서 깜짝 놀랐어요.

neutral

Easily Confused

~고 나서 vs -은 후에

Both mean after.

-은 후에 can follow nouns.

식사 후에 vs 먹고 나서.

~고 나서 vs -고

Both connect.

-고 is for simple sequence.

먹고 vs 먹고 나서.

~고 나서 vs 다음에

Both mean next.

다음에 is a noun phrase.

다음에 봐요 vs 먹고 나서 봐요.

~고 나서 vs 뒤에

Both mean after.

뒤에 is for time/space.

10분 뒤에 vs 먹고 나서.

Sentence Patterns

A1

Verb + 고 나서 + Verb

씻고 나서 밥을 먹어요.

A2

Verb + 고 나서 + Subject + Verb

일하고 나서 내가 쉬어요.

B1

Verb + 고 나서 + Time

공부하고 나서 1시간 쉬어요.

B2

Verb + 고 나서 + Result

운동하고 나서 건강해졌어요.

A2

Verb + 고 나서 + Future

도착하고 나서 전화할게요.

Wortfamilie

Nouns

나중 later

Verbs

나다 to occur/finish

Verwandt

-은 후에 synonym

How to Use It

frequency

10

Formality Scale

Formal Neutral Casual

Häufige Fehler

Using with nouns → Use -후에
Only verbs allowed.
Adding to adjectives → Use -어서/아서
Usually for actions.
Redundant '나서' → Just -고
Don't use it for simultaneous actions.
Wrong tense usage → Tense goes at the end
Don't conjugate the first verb.
Spelling '나서' as '나서' → 나서
Spelling is standard.

Tips

💡

Memory Palace

Visualize a door closing (finish) before opening the next one.

💡

Daily Routine

Describe your morning using this.

🌍

Politeness

It is polite enough for work.

💡

Verb Stems

Always drop the -다.

💡

Flow

Say it as one word.

💡

Don't use with nouns

Use -후에 instead.

💡

Did You Know?

It is one of the most used connectors.

💡

Flashcards

Use verb stems on one side.

💡

Write it down

Journal your day.

💡

Listen to songs

Listen for '고 나서'.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Go (go) to the next (na) step (seo).

Visual Association

A checklist with a checkmark.

Word Web

Sequence Time Routine

Herausforderung

Write 3 things you did today using this.

Wortherkunft

Korean

Original meaning: Completion and sequence

Kultureller Kontext

None

Similar to 'after' or 'and then'.

Used in almost every K-drama routine

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Daily Routine

  • 일어나고 나서
  • 씻고 나서
  • 먹고 나서

Work

  • 끝내고 나서
  • 보고하고 나서
  • 회의하고 나서

Study

  • 읽고 나서
  • 쓰고 나서
  • 외우고 나서

Travel

  • 도착하고 나서
  • 체크인하고 나서
  • 구경하고 나서

Conversation Starters

"오늘 수업 끝나고 나서 뭐 할 거예요?"

"집에 도착하고 나서 제일 먼저 하는 게 뭐예요?"

"영화를 보고 나서 보통 친구랑 이야기해요?"

"운동하고 나서 기분이 어때요?"

"밥을 먹고 나서 커피를 마시는 편이에요?"

Journal Prompts

Describe your morning routine using -고 나서.

What do you do immediately after you get home?

List three things you did yesterday using -고 나서.

What do you plan to do after you finish this study session?

Häufig gestellte Fragen

8 Fragen

No, only verbs.

It is neutral.

No, the tense is at the end.

It is more specific.

Yes, very common.

No.

No, it is very regular.

After the verb stem.

Teste dich selbst

fill blank A1

밥을 ___ 나서 학교에 가요.

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: 먹고

Verb stem + 고 나서.

multiple choice A2

Which sentence is correct?

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: All of the above

It works with all tenses.

true false B1

Can you use this with nouns?

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Falsch

Only verbs.

match pairs B1

Word

Bedeutung

All matched!

Simple translation.

sentence order B2

Tippe auf die Wörter unten, um den Satz zu bilden
Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort:

Object + Verb + Suffix + Verb.

Ergebnis: /5

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